Yesterday, in a day's course of web perusing,
I came upon this phrase twice:

purple monkey dishwasher
 

I first found the phrase in The Broken Pencil guestbook and thought nothing of it. Then, I read the same phrase again in the memepool weblog.

I didn't understand.
I felt left out.
So I did some research

... and now I bring you ...

Your guide to
purple monkey dishwasher

<origin>
From the Simpsons, episode [2F19] "The PTA Disbands"

Edna: Good news, people!
[the other teachers cheer]

Edna: I'm happy to announce that another union has joined us in a sympathy strike: the piano tuners' Local 412!

          [the teachers look at one another, confused]
[a piano tuner stands outside a house with an out-of-tune piano and looks smug]

Bart: [walking up] Now for Operation Strike-Make-Go-Longer.
[to teacher] You know, I heard Skinner say the teachers will crack any minute.

[the teachers whisper it forward through the line]

Teacher: [to Edna] Skinner said the teachers will crack any minute purple monkey dishwasher.

Edna: Well!  We'll show him, especially for that "purple monkey dishwasher" remark [everyone shouts their assent]

(note: if you don't understand the joke,
think back to when you used to play the game 'telephone')

<useage>
from: Dejanews. Search Results
Messages 1-25 of about 600
matches for search purple monkey dishwasher:

Purple monkey dishwasher
used as a 'last word' remark
in a verbal debate.

Purple monkey dishwasher
used as a 'first word' remark
in a verbal debate.

Purple monkey dishwasher
used when the writer is at a loss for words

<the server>
Purple monkey dishwasher
(with really cool mouse location javascript)

<the zine>
Purple monkey dishwasher
that actually sells out?

<the end>
purple monkey dishwasher